Anger and Writing: Is One Responsible for the Other?

I’ve come to the conclusion that the things that make me angry are the reasons why I write.

Injustice, prejudice or inconsistency … all drive me insane.

As I go through the world, my radar seems to be laser focused on those matters and when I capture a hint of it, whether among friends, family, or out in the general public, there is a bell that goes off. I call it the John Quiñones “What Would You Do” effect.

Let’s face it. Writing is hard. It requires commitment, attention to detail, and the ability to sit down and concentrate. Somehow, anger adds wind to that sail, giving me a purpose beyond merely telling a story. It highlights the angle that I want to explore. For my characters, regardless of point of view, I crave to understand what makes people tick. Why they behave the way they do? What is brewing just beneath the surface?

In my world, I’ve discovered that there can be many reasons for characters behaving badly. Childhood trauma, petty jealousy, lack of empathy, fear … all the human qualities that we’ve come to recognize which make the world go round. The danger is – making those characters too over-the-top. They can’t be evil. They can’t be all bad. Otherwise, they’re two-dimensional stereotypes. The trick is to mix the good with the bad. The trick is to make them human.

So anger can be a great tool for unleashing the creative juices. It seems to work for me. I hope you give it a try the next time you’re pissed off. Trust me – the words will flow.